Delivering at-home access to clinical-standard fertility treatment

这个项目提出了一个解决不孕不育这个破坏性和不公平问题的方案。我们正在开发一种治疗方案，提供临床标准的生育治疗——规范、安全、负担得起、有效——在一个人的家中进行。不孕症是一个全球性问题。世界卫生组织预测，10-25%的妇女患有不孕症（WHO\_2020）。在过去的50年里，男性精子数量下降了52% (Levine\_et\_al\_2017)， 40%难以怀孕的夫妇患有“不明原因的不孕症”（Nandi\_and\_Homburg\_2016）。不孕不育仍然是禁忌。在英国的性教育课程中，它既没有被提及，也没有被教授。因此，不孕症往往会引发羞耻感或失败感（Datta\_et\_al\_2016），对个人及其关系造成严重损害。2014年丹麦的一项研究显示，不孕不育治疗失败后，夫妻离婚的可能性增加了3倍。在英国，只有不到3%的不孕症患者获得了临床治疗（LaingBuisson\_2018）。nhs资助的生育治疗正在减少，许多人受到邮政编码、体重指数和年龄限制等因素的摆布，因为临床委托小组（ccg）希望收紧资格。私人生育治疗非常昂贵；英国不孕夫妇平均花费11378英镑用于生育治疗（fertility networkuk \_2016）。尽管如此，人们还是越来越多地夹在社会/职业压力和为人父母之间。这导致许多妇女推迟到35岁以上才怀孕（Harper et al\ 2017），在这个年龄，怀孕变得越来越困难（委员会意见\ 2008），并且在一半的NHS ccg中，她们没有资格接受生育治疗。如今，临床治疗选择范围很窄，从宫内人工授精（IUI； 700- 1600英镑/轮，最多需要12轮）到体外受精（5000英镑/轮）。对于那些可以接受临床治疗的人来说，这是高度破坏性的，涉及到双方频繁地去生育诊所。一些女性报告说，花在生育治疗上的时间就像全职工作一样。大多数人（70%）报告生育问题和/或治疗对他们的关系产生了一些不利影响（fertility networkuk \_2016）。对于那些无法获得治疗的人来说，市场上的许多替代品是不受监管的，甚至是危险的。具有误导性的“生育补充剂”和家庭IUI工具包包括只应由医疗专业人员使用的窥器和设备。该项目建立在开发人工授精治疗和数字健康体验的新概念的基础上，这些概念设计得直观有效；经临床胚胎学家优化，可在家中安全使用。在“创新英国”的支持下，我们将改善生育治疗的可及性，为英国不孕夫妇提供负担得起、安全、有效和方便的治疗。是时候让人们掌握自己的身体、生育之旅和选择了。

This project proposes a solution to the devastating and unfair issue of infertility.We are developing a treatment solution that provides clinical-standard fertility treatment - regulated, safe, affordable, effective - in the privacy of one's home.Infertility is a global issue. The WHO predicts 10-25% of women are affected by infertility(WHO\_2020). Male sperm counts dropped 52% over the past 50 years(Levine\_et\_al\_2017) and 40% of couples struggling to conceive have 'unexplained infertility'(Nandi\_and\_Homburg\_2016).Infertility is still taboo. It's not talked about, or taught in the UK sex education curriculum. Consequently, infertility often stirs feelings of shame or failure(Datta\_et\_al\_2016), exacting a toll on individuals and their relationships. A 2014 Danish study revealed couples are 3x more likely to separate when fertility treatments fail(Kjaer\_et\_al\_2014).In the UK, less than 3% of those experiencing infertility access clinical treatment(LaingBuisson\_2018).NHS-funded fertility treatment is decreasing, leaving many at the mercy of factors such as postcode, BMI and age restrictions, as Clinical Commissioning Groups(CCGs) look to tighten eligibility.Private fertility treatment is prohibitively expensive; infertile UK-based couples spend an average of £11,378 on fertility treatment(FertilityNetworkUK\_2016). Still, people are increasingly caught between societal/career pressures and becoming parents. This leads many women to delay conception until 35+(Harper\_et\_al\_2017), an age at which conception becomes increasingly difficult(Committee\_Opinion\_2008), and when they become ineligible for fertility treatment in half of NHS CCGs.Today, there exists a narrow spectrum of clinical treatment options, ranging from intrauterine insemination(IUI; £700-£1,600/round, requiring up to 12 rounds) to IVF(£5,000+/round).For those who do access clinical treatment, it's highly disruptive, involving frequent trips by both partners to fertility clinics. Some women report that the time spent navigating fertility treatment feels like a full-time job. The majority of people(70%) report some detrimental impact of fertility problems and/or treatment on their relationship(FertilityNetworkUK\_2016).For those without the means to access treatment, many of the alternatives on the market are unregulated and even dangerous. Misleading 'fertility supplements' and at-home IUI kits include speculums and equipment that should be used only by medical professionals.This project builds on work developing a novel concept for artificial insemination treatment and digital health experience engineered to be intuitive and effective; optimised by a clinical embryologist to be used safely at home.With Innovate UK support, we will improve access to fertility treatment, providing infertile UK couples with affordable, safe, effective, and convenient treatment.It's time to empower people to take ownership of their body, fertility journey, and choices.